Facing the prospect of running short of water supply for drinking, the Pune Municipal Corporation (PMC) on Thursday announced a 12 per cent water cut in the city and restricting water supply to once a day.

The city has been getting water twice a day.

“The water situation is bad as there has been poor rainfall. The dam supplying water to the city has less reserve. It has been decided there would be a 12 per cent water cut from Saturday and supply would be only once a day which is presently twice a day,” said mayor Chanchala Kodre after a meeting with leaders of all political parties, PMC officers and irrigation officials.

She said water reserve in dams is 1.93 TMC and could last till July 28 if there is no water cut. “The PMC, by resorting to 12 per cent water cut, could ensure that water supply would last till August 8. At present, the PMC uses 1,250 MLD water a day to but during water cut it would only use 1,100 MLD water every day,” Kodre said.

The mayor said PMC would take up awareness on judicious use of water through jingles on radio, theatre and its public address system.

The officers of the irrigation department and civic water supply department would review the situation every 15 days to decide measures, Kodre said.

Executive Engineer of the Khadakwasla Irrigation division Atul Kapole said the irrigation department has stopped supply for agriculture purposes. “The existing reserve would only be used to meet drinking water supply demands of the city,” he said adding the city faced a similar situation in 2009 and 2012.

Dams in Khadakwasla irrigation division had a reserve of 28.73 TMC. From July 1 last year, 2 TMC was lost due to evaporation, 2 TMC was given to villages for drinking water supply, and 17 TMC for irrigation.

PMC Superintendent Engineer and in charge of water supply department, V G Kulkarni said the new timetable for water supply would soon be made public. “There was already a water cut of 10 per cent in the area under Cantonment Water Works so there would be no additional cut while the area getting supply from Parvati Water Works, Warje Water Works and Vadgaon Water Works would have 20 per cent water cut,” he added.

To check private water tankers taking advantage of the situation, the PMC has decided to stop supply by private water tankers.